What is metaphorical?
Metaphorical means you use something else to stand for, or symbolize, another thing.
For example, in a poem, "a dark sky" might be a metaphorical representation of sadness.
Let us look at Psalm 18, which is a Psalm of David.
Psalm 18:7-17 reads:
7 Then the earth shook and trembled;
The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
8 Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.
10 And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
He flew upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness His secret place;
His canopy around Him was dark waters
And thick clouds of the skies.
12 From the brightness before Him,
His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
14 He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe,
Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered
At Your rebuke, O Lord,
At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
16 He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
Wow!! : Smoke from His nose, and fire from His mouth!!
Did it really happen? NO.!
Do you know what really happened?
Well, before you read into Psalms 18, it is written in the beginning of the Psalm "To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul."
This Psalm is a song recounting how God delivered David from the hand of Saul and his armies (see 2 Samuel 22).
The earth didn't quake.
The oceans didn't break open and expose the channels of the sea.
God simply delivered David in a battle.
It was a very natural event but written in an exaggerated and metaphorical language to make a strong point.
This is called a Metaphorical Example.
